Rose Petals
by iloveromance
Summary: After a two-week stint as an instructor at a psychologist convention in Spokane, it's finally time for Niles to go home to his beloved Daphne. But the road to Seattle and their home at The Montana is paved with unplanned detours, causing him to wonder if they'll ever be reunited. A collective effort by Pat2Trivia4Me, myself, Kristen3 and leighann415
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: This is a collective effort by Pat2Trivia4Me and contributed by myself, Kristen3 and leighann415. I want to thank them for allowing me to post this to my site and we appreciate all the reviews and thank you for reading.**_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Ch1-by Pat2Trivia4Me<strong>_

Niles closed his brief case and glanced out over the crowd in the symposium as they applauded. It had been a long week in Spokane. Being one of many speakers at this conference was quite an honor and a privilege, nonetheless, Niles was missing Daphne. He had already checked out of his hotel and in his mind, he was already heading for the airport.

The chairman of the seminar approached the podium and shook his hand. "Very well done Doctor Crane."

"Oh, it was my privilege. Interpreting dreams is one of my favorite elements in psychology."

"That story about the man with a reoccurring dream about living underwater and when he finally leaves the water, the fish follow him out of the water. It was quite entertaining."

"Yes, thank you."

"I'm throwing a little 'Dinner and Drinks' at a local restaurant for all of the speakers. Can I count on your attendance?"

"I would love to Mister Thourrow, however, I have a plane to catch."

"Well, I'm sorry to hear that. Perhaps next time."

"Looking forward to it. Safe travels Doctor Crane and Godspeed."

Niles hurried through the crowd and out the exit. He caught a cab to the airport. Once arriving at his gate he took a seat in the waiting area with his ticket in hand. He smiled. He almost felt like a little boy on the eve of Christmas. It would be so good to see Daphne again and to hold her.

Then there was a call over the PA_:_

"_Attention all passengers. Attention all passengers. Due to unexpected fog, all departing flights are cancelled until further notice. All arriving flights have been re-routed. Please check with the corresponding airline ticketing agent for airport destinations for inbound flights. We do apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. All outbound passengers check with your ticket agent for hotel accommodations. Thank you and once again, on behalf of all the staff here, we are sorry for the inconvenience." _

Niles had a first class ticket. Surely they would put him up in the closest five star hotel at no cost, but that didn't matter to him. His heart sank. Christmas had just been canceled.

He sat there for several moments to muster the strength to make his call. Her beautiful, warm voice was on the other end.

"_Hello?" _

"Daphne, it me, Niles…"

Before he could get another word out, she spoke with such excitement in her voice. "_Oh Niles! You're coming home, aren't you I can't wait to hold you. I've got your favorite wine and dessert waiting for you." _

He had to swallow before he spoke. "Daphne, that sounds wonderful, but unfortunately, they will have to wait for another day."

"_What… what are you saying?" _

"The flights in Spokane are canceled due to a thick fog."

"_Oh dear,"_ her voice dropped.

"Don't worry my love. I'll be home tomorrow."

_"Did you get a hotel room?"_

"No, I have to check in at the ticket counter."

"_Well, I'd best shove off so you can check in before all of the rooms are taken."_

"Daphne…"

"_Yes Niles?" _

"I… I love you so very much."

"_Oh, I love you too. Now go get that room. Call me when you get settled."_

"Good-bye Daphne."

"_Good-bye Love."_

Niles ended the call and put his cell phone back in his coat pocket. He sat there for a few moments. He really didn't care about the quality of room accommodations at this moment. He just wanted to get home to see his Daphne. A warm smile arose from his lips. There was a sparkle in his eyes. He would rent a car. Yes, he would. He could be with Daphne in four hours. His heart was dancing. He would surprise her.

It would be amazing.


	2. Chapter 2

_**By iloveromance**_

Niles bolted from his seat with his briefcase in hand and he seemed to fly through the small Spokane airport. He stopped but for a few moments at a flower stand to purchase the biggest and most beautiful bouquet of flowers that eh could find; roses in a rainbow of colors that Daphne was sure to love. His purchase carefully wrapped in a bag, he continued on, maneuvering quickly thought the airport until he came to the car rentals.

And it was there that he found himself at the end of a line of at least fifty people deep who were also waiting to rent a car. The line moved at a snail's pace and when he finally reached the counter, the uninterested clerk gave him an annoyed glance. But Niles was undeterred by her rudeness. He smiled and produced his credit card. "I need to rent a car; the most luxurious one that you have. The name is _Crane, Dr. Niles Crane."  
><em>

She shoved a large white card with pictures of cars in his face. "This is what we have available. Economy only; Chevrolet, Toyota or Ford, take your pick."

Niles stared at the selection of cars, which was completely unacceptable. "But I called ahead and you assured me that you had plenty of luxury cars available!"

The woman merely shrugged. "Sorry, Mister. I guess you didn't get here fast enough."

He reached into his wallet and produced his Gold Club Membership card. "Look, I've been a loyal customer since 1993 and I need a luxury car! These are hardly-."

"That's all we've got left. Now do you want a car or not? There's a line of people waiting behind you."

Appalled, Niles wanted to cause a scene but he didn't dare. Instead he took a deep breath. "Yes, of course I want a car. But-."

"Which one do you want?"

"I want a luxury car." He said, speaking as slowly as possible. "With this Gold Membership and by being a loyal customer, I'm entitled to-."

"Sir, I'm telling you that there are a limited number of cars available! This is a busy time of year and-."

Niles stared at the woman in complete disbelief and he could no longer maintain his cool. "How can it be a busy time of year? The fog is so thick outside that the planes aren't even flying!"

"Sir-."

"I'm not a _Sir_!" he shouted. "I'm a _doctor_! Dr. _Niles _Crane and I am revolted by the treatment I've received since I walked in here! Why, I have a good mind to revoke my membership!"

"Dr. Crane, this is the best I can do for you under the-."

"I need to speak to your-Oh, never mind, just rent me the damn car, okay?"

The woman tried to hide the fact that she was rolling her eyes but Niles definitely noticed. He looked at his watch, horrified to find that nearly two hours had passed since he'd made his initial decision to drive home to his angel. By this point he was so anxious to get home that he didn't care what kind of car he drove…. Within reason.

Reluctantly he handed her his credit card and she began clacking nosily on the keys of her computer, keeping her eyes on the screen. With any luck she was trying to ignore him and that was just fine.

"Driver's license."

At her sharp request he opened his wallet once more and removed his Washington State Driver's license, handing it to the woman. She looked at it, and then up at him for several seconds, making him wonder if she thought he'd given her a fake ID with someone else's picture on it.

It was true that he'd changed quite a bit in the three and a half years since he'd had the photo taken. His hair was darker and there was less of it and his skin wasn't quite as smooth as it used to be. But whenever he began to feel down about growing older and not being the man he once was, Daphne was always there to tell him (and often to show him) that she loved him just the way he was.

He inhaled deeply, willing away the tears that threatened to even dare reach the surface. The need to see Daphne became so great that he began to fidget. How long was this agonizing process going to take? Finally he spoke again. "Miss-."

"My name is Rhonda!" She snapped. "I'm 42 years old! I ain't no _Miss!_"

Taken aback by her abruptness and her boldness in announcing her age to practically everyone in the room, he flinched, realizing that he may have overstepped his bounds. "I'm sorry. I-."

"Insurance?"

"What? Oh, yes of course. Who doesn't-."

Amazingly, his comment made the woman-Rhonda, smile. "All right Mister… I mean _Doctor_ Crane. Sign here and I'll just run this credit card through to-." Her smile (the one that Niles suspected was fake) disappeared, causing him alarm.

"What's wrong?"

"Do you have another credit card?"

He began digging through his wallet aware of her hand in his face, holding out his credit card. "Um, yes of course, but-." He took his Platinum Visa emblazoned with the black image of the Seattle Skyline from her hand. "What's going on?"

"The card was declined."

He looked up sharply and then down at his hand. That's preposterous! This card has a $4,000 credit limit! Run it through again!"

She merely shrugged. "I can't."

"What do you mean, you _can't_? You did it once, have you already forgotten how to do it?"

There were a few distant chuckles behind him but he was in no mood to acknowledge the people who actually found his comment funny.

"I mean, I can't do it. You need to talk to my manager."

"Well, that's the most helpful thing you've said since I arrived! Get your manager, please! Right away!"

Rhonda picked up a handheld transceiver and rolled her eyes, this time making no secret of the gesture. "Doug?"

_"Yeah?"_ came the tinny, uninterested response; not to mention unprofessional.

"Guy here in a fancy suit wants to talk to you."

_"Tell him I'm on the phone!"  
><em>

She smiled sarcastically at Niles. "He's on the phone!"

Niles yanked the handheld transceiver from Rhonda's hand and pressed the button. "Listen... _Doug_ is it? This is Dr. Niles Crane, one of your Gold Club members and I need to speak to you immediately or I'm going to call the authorities! Do you understand?"

This Doug character emitted a deep sigh that must have been a staple of this pathetic excuse for a car rental company. When there was no response, Niles clinched his fists in anger, but then whirled around at the sound of his name.

"Dr. _Crane_, I presume?"

"Yes, that's me. I need you to run this credit card through your machine again. Apparently it was declined and that tells me that your machine is faulty! I'm just trying to rent a car to get home to my wife."

"Yeah, about that…You see, we can't run the same credit card through for 24 hours."

"What? Why not?"

"Company policy."

"But that card has a $4,000 credit limit! How could it have possibly been declined? A car rental is only-."

Doug looked at the pink piece of paper in his hand. "Three hundred and sixty seven dollars and eighty nine cents."

Niles' eyes widened. "Three hundred and- Dear God, that's more than my plane ticket to Seattle would have cost! And I only need the car for one day at most! Your sign says that your rate is-."

"Forty-two fifty per day, that's right sir. But you opted for the rental insurance which is an additional two hundred dollars. And then there are the Washington State taxes."

"But I never agreed-."

"Says here you signed for the optional insurance."

"I most certainly _did not_! I-." He stopped, horrified when Doug showed him the pink piece of paper, displaying his signature. "But she never asked me-."

Rhonda smirked. "I said _insurance _and you said _of course_."

"That's outrageous! I thought you were asking IF I had insurance! You people are nothing but a bunch of crooks! Now I demand that you rent me a car!"

"I'm sorry Sir, I can't do it. I can't run the card through again."

"How am I supposed to get home?"

Doug shrugged his shoulders. "Do you have another card?"

"Well, of course I have another-." Niles searched through his wallet producing a blue credit card. A MasterCard this time. "This one should work."

Rhonda ran the card through and Niles almost melted to the floor with relief when the tiny receipt began printing from the machine. "Sign here."

Niles took the pen from her, poised to sign, when he looked at the total which read $367.89. "What is this? I thought I told you that I declined the insurance!"

"Oh, well that we can't take off your card. You'll have to settle that with the credit card company."

Niles was livid and it took all the strength within him not to reach over the counter and grab the manager by his cheap burgundy polyester tie. He'd lost his temper before and it promptly ended his marriage to Mel and freed him to be with Daphne. It was the best decision he'd ever made. This, however, was not.

Defeated and wanting so badly to be in Daphne's arms he signed the credit card slip. If $367.89 was what it took to get home to the woman he loved, then it was more than worth it. A pair of keys was slipped into his hand along with the pink receipt.

"Go through those doors and take the elevator down to the first floor parking garage. Your car is parked in Section A, Space 8. Have a nice day."

He mumbled a polite "Thank you" and then made his way to the parking garage, his arms already tired from dragging his luggage around. The sooner he was in a car and on the road the better.


	3. Chapter 3

_**By Iloveromance and Pat2Trivia4Me**_

It had now been over three hours since he'd left the airport terminal and when he glanced out of the window, he saw that the fog was showing no signs of lifting. If anything it had gotten thicker. He knew how dangerous it was to drive in such unsettling weather but he didn't care. He was a safe driver and even if he drove slowly he could still make it home, if only a few hours later than he'd hoped. Daphne would surely understand. And if she didn't, he'd make sure that he made it up to her in tenfold.

With a sudden burst of energy, he hurried to the garage to get his car. And when he reached _Section A Space 8, _he found himself standing in front of his car… a Ford Focus.

A Focus.

When his luggage was securely in the pathetic excuse for a trunk and the rest carefully placed in the backseat, He opened the door and climbed in, but not before taking off his coat and laying it over the seat, which was most likely covered in germs. If only he'd remembered to put a handkerchief in his pocket with which to wipe the seat...

As for the car, what they meant by "Focus" as though focusing on something remained a mystery. It definitely wasn't luxury or comfort.

With a deep sigh he shut the door, grateful that he was in Spokane and not in Seattle, save for the fact that if he was in Seattle he'd be in Daphne's arms and not in this retched car. The last thing he needed was to have someone recognize him in the driver's seat of a Ford Focus of all things. The idea was disturbing in itself, but to think that he could be spotted in… an orange Ford Focus was harrowing. He'd never be able to live that humiliation down.

He looked around the car, cringing once again at the interior. Dear God, this couldn't be their idea of _clean_ as they so proudly announced it on their Welcome sign in the car rental office. Niles gathered that Eddie's dog bed had fewer germs.

But time was ticking by. He was losing precious moments with his angel, moments that he would never be able to get back. And it was that thought that propelled him to start the car. Miraculously it started without trouble and he slowly maneuvered his way through the parking garage. At the gate he handed the attendant his paperwork and was asked if he'd checked the condition of the car thoroughly.

_Damn…_

In his haste to get to his wife he hadn't checked the car's condition at all. And to the dismay and annoyance of the driver's behind him (judging solely by their loud honking horns and rude hand gestures), it was not a good decision. But he was determined not to be charged anymore outlandish fees for something he simply didn't ask for. He checked the car thoroughly; examining each and every inch, noting precise areas of paint chipping, scratches and dents. And then just for good measure he took pictures of each area with his cell phone. One could never be too careful. A full forty five minutes later he was finished and he climbed back into his car, where even more honking greeted him.

The attended seemed happy to wave him through and soon he was greeted by a thick cloud of fog. It was so thick he could hardly see, but he'd never been more grateful.

"Don't worry Daphne." He said to the car interior. "I'll be home soon."


	4. Chapter 4

_**By iloveromance**_

He drove slowly and carefully, barely able to see through the thick layer of fog. No wonder the flight had been canceled. He said a silent prayer for his safe journey. He was anxious enough about flying and who knows what might have happened had the plane taken off as scheduled. He shuddered at the idea, quickly dismissing all thoughts and images of Daphne receiving word of his untimely demise. Instantly his foot slowed on the accelerator and he was moving at a speed that should have been illegal in its slowness.

At this rate it would take him even longer to reach his angel, but at least he would arrive safely.

Signs began to emerge through the thick fog at random intervals; the faint glow of a neon storefront sign, hazy red-yellow-and green traffic lights, the glow of headlights. They were all insignificant things but to Niles they were a godsend. They reminded him, in some small way that he wasn't alone if only he had driven to Spokane initially instead of flying to his conference, perhaps he would have an easier time recognizing the sights. But in this strange, fog-filled world, nothing seemed familiar.

Luckily the traffic was amazingly light, with only a few cars on the road. At times there was even the slightest break in the fog, allowing him to go a bit faster, but it wasn't difficult to see that his speed was much slower than that of other drivers who passed him at an alarming rate. Dear God, did these people have a death wish? The sight was so unsettling that he slowed the car even further, as terrifying thoughts of car crashes filled his mind. And then the previous thoughts of Daphne being told of his demise…

_"Mrs. Crane, we're sorry to inform you that your husband…."_

No. He refused to do this. He refused to think about the possibilities. He needed something to take his mind off of those possibilities; none of them good. He reached for the knob on the radio and turned, amazed when sound filled the car. It was a small glimmer of hope; the annoying static blaring from the radio. He lowered the volume, searching for an available channel. Even music as disturbing as pop music, as it was oddly called, would suffice.

Suddenly he smiled, remembering that Daphne loved pop music. She was always begging him to change the station from his beloved classical music to a song by Elton John or Billy Joel. Again he smiled, remembering his brother's infamous Hero party; the one that had gone horribly wrong when Niles attempted to emulate his father. It had taken a while for his dad to accept the many apologizes that Niles bestowed upon him, but once he had, their relationship had grown.

And Daphne….

Even in her wild and colorful Elton John costume complete with large glasses, she was incredibly beautiful.

His heart ached with longing for her and he missed her more than ever. If only he could find an Elton John song on this worthless radio, then perhaps he would feel closer to her; if only in his heart.

_If only…_


	5. Chapter 5

_**By iloveromance**_

He was about to turn the radio off completely when the car began to sputter and jerk foreword. Alarmed, he pushed on the accelerator, willing the car to move faster. But the Ford Focus was now "unfocused" and it sputtered and jerked even more before coming to a complete stop. No amount of pushing on the pedals would make eh car budge and Niles leaned across the seat, sighing.

The car was dead.

He wished… oh, how he wished that he'd taken the basic car repair class more seriously when he and Frasier had embarked on such a crazy adventure. Instead they had acted like children, laughing and passing notes (in French) to each other, resulting in their removal from the class. Forced with having to show that they had succeeded they concocted fake certificates at the print shop. Daphne had been so proud of them, of him, but while Frasier basked in the unearned achievement, Niles simply couldn't take the guilt. And so he'd told her the truth, right as they were about to sit down to a celebratory dinner.  
>She was hurt beyond measure, appalled at what he'd done and had stormed out of the room, leaving her meal untouched.<p>

As with his father, an apology to Daphne took some time but she finally forgave him. However, the haunting karma had finally caught up with him. If only he had been honest with her, if only he'd learned how to repair his own car, he wouldn't be here now.

Where exactly was he?

With the utmost of care, he pulled over to the side of the road and climbed out of the car. His cell phone pressed to his ear, he attempted to call for help. But in the thickness of the fog, there was only silence.

He tried again, praying for the Gods to send a sign, preferably in the form of bars on his phone. There must be a cell tower around somewhere in all of this fog…. wherever he was.

Where was he anyway? It seemed like he'd been driving for miles and miles before the car had finally died. Surely he was far from Spokane by now. If he could just get a signal on his phone he could call AAA and have his car towed to the nearest garage. His membership (like the one at the car rental company) was in a good standing and he rarely used his emergency road service. His Mercedes ran impeccably well and on the off chance that something did happen, the dealership was more than happy to help him out in any situation. He doubted that he'd encounter the same type of personalized service from the Ford Motor Company.

A _Focus_…. He still couldn't believe it. How had his luck gone downhill so fast? But then, as if someone above heard him, he saw bars on his phone. It was a miracle.

His fingers trembling, he pushed the tiny buttons on his phone, accessing his GPS. He knew from experience that the first thing AAA Washington would ask for is his location. Surely the GPS would tell him-

He stared at the GPS display in disbelief. This was impossible. Surely the signal was hazy, due to the thick and heavy fog because he couldn't' possibly be in….

Four Lakes, Washington.

He'd never heard of the place before but if the GPS was in fact correct, then he was exactly twelve miles from Spokane. So much for reliable transportation. Or any transportation for that matter.

He slumped against the lifeless car, at a loss for what to do. He needed to call roadside assistance, or in this case, AAA Washington.

But first things first…. There was someone much more important that he needed to call. His heart raced as he pressed the familiar buttons on the phone. It connected and then rang several times, causing him to fear that he may have to leave a message. But he couldn't say what he needed to say on a recording. He was mere seconds from hanging up when he heard her sweet voice.

_"Hello?"_

"Hello, my love."

_"Niles, thank God! I thought you were going to call me when you got to the hotel! Are you all right? I hope they put you in the best hotel room because I know my man. You'll settle for nothing less than the best. Well, it's the least they can do after inconveniencing you! So at what hotel are you staying, Darling?"_

He swallowed hard, wishing he hadn't called. He couldn't tell her the truth; that he'd wanted to see her so badly that he'd forgone he idea of asking about the hotel room and chosen to rent a car to find her. She'd be livid if she knew that he had driven-or attempted to drive-in such dismal weather. But he certainly didn't want to tell her that he had been forced to drive a Ford Focus that barely made it twelve miles before rendering itself useless. And so he did the one thing he vowed he'd never do again.

He lied.


	6. Chapter 6

_**By iloveromance**_

He swallowed hard before speaking, almost grateful at that moment that he wasn't speaking to her face to face. "Yes, my love. It's certainly not a four star room but it's tolerable. I have a nice, remotely comfortable bed on which to sleep and a television to watch the local news and adequate lighting with which to read. I'm perfectly fine." At the sensation of warm liquid beneath his nose, he grabbed his handkerchief and held it to his face. Sure enough… blood stained the cloth almost immediately; a sure sign of lying. It was a trait that he never outgrew. Daphne knew him well enough to know that he would never spend an evening watching the local news; not if he could help it. He'd much rather sit in a quiet room and read. But his lies had gone too far already.

_"Niles, are you all right?"_ she was asking. _"What's wrong?"  
><em>

"Mmm? Oh, nothing my love. Why do you ask?"

_"Because you're sniffling and I don't have to be psychics to know that can only mean one thing. Your nose is bleeding! Niles Crane please don't tell me you're lying to me! If you're having an affair just say it!" _

The words stunned him. An affair? How could she even think-

"Daphne, I would never-I'm not lying." He lied again, the blood trickling faster now, despite his attempts to stop it. "Everything's fine. I'm sorry about this bump in the road as it were deterring my plans to return to you sooner, but it's fine. Actually it's not fine. If it weren't for this damn fog, I'd be home now, in your arms instead of… here. But we'll be together soon, I promise, my love."

Now it was Daphne who sniffled. "All right. I still have your dinner waiting for you, but I suppose it will be too late to enjoy it by the time you get home so I'll just pop it back into the fridge and reheat it for you when you get here. Please don't take too long. I love you so much, I-."

She began to cry quietly, breaking his heart yet again. "Daphne, sweetheart, don't cry. I love you more than words can say my angel. You know that. I'd do anything, anything at all if I could just get home to you right this instant. But you know I'll dream of you tonight, as I always do, and I always will. Now, I should get going and see if I can at least get some work done."

_"All right. I love you, Niles."_

"I love you too, Sweetheart. I'll see you soon."

The call ended and almost instantly he missed her voice. He had to get home to her; He simply had to. Determined to make things right, he dialed the number for AAA Washington and waited while it rang numerous times. He was put on hold almost immediately with a promise that his call was important and would be answered shortly. Then came the dreaded hold music while his call was bounced around to who knows where before being answered, after twenty long minutes. The caller was friendly enough, as though he took satisfaction in customers who had disasters happen on the road.

_"Thank you for calling AAA Washington. This is Rob, how may I help you?"_

"Yes, Rob, this is Dr. Niles Crane and I am stranded out here in… well, I'm not really sure where I am but the GPS on my phone says Four Lakes Washington."

_"Wow, Four Lakes? That's way out there!"_ Rob said as though Niles had found himself on another planet.

"Yes, I'd never heard of it either, but if you could just send a tow truck out here I'd be very grateful and-"

_"Oh man… You want a tow truck out there? Oh… I don't think that's going to happen."_

Niles was livid. "What? What are you talking about? Are you or are you not the damn AAA company?"

_"We are, but-._"

"But what?"

_"We don't service that area."_

"But that's preposterous! You're AAA _Washington_! You represent the whole state and Four Lakes is IN Washington State!"

_"All right, I'll see what I can do. What's your cell phone number?"  
><em>

"Well I would hope that you had it on the screen. You do have Caller ID on your elaborate call center phone system, do you not?"

_"I don't know… I-I mean yeah! Oh cool! Here it is! Wow! Okay, I've got it, Dr. Crane!"_

Niles rolled his eyes at Rob's overzealous enthusiasm for something that should have been common knowledge. "Well I'm glad. Now if you'll just-."

_"I'll have Bruno call you when he's near, okay? Shouldn't be more than a couple of hours."  
><em>

Niles eyes widened. "A couple of-."

_"Don't worry. He'll find you. If you want I'll have him call you now so you can tell him where you are. It's been a very busy night what with the fog and all. I can't believe people try to drive in this stuff_."

"Tell me about it." Niles sighed. He hung up the phone and climbed into his car. Might as well get some reading done. And then he waited, and waited and waited….

He jumped at the sound of the shrill ring that knocked him out of a deep sleep and a wonderful dream about an angel named Daphne, kissing him and –

"Hello?"

"_Mr. Crane? This is Bruno."_ A gruff voice said.

"I-I'm sorry, who is this?"

_"Bruno. You need a tow truck?"  
><em>

"What? I never-." He bolted upright remembering that he wasn't at home at all but in his car, stranded in Four Lakes, Washington. "Oh yes, I'm stuck here! Please hurry! I need to get home to my wife! You see I was giving a seminar in Spokane and-."

_"Spokane, huh? Nice place."  
><em>

Niles could no longer hide his agitation. "Yes, it is. Now could you please-."

_"Yeah, I'll get out there as soon as I can. Shouldn't be long. Hour, hour and a half. But you know, people shouldn't try to drive in da fog. It's brutal."_

"Right." Niles said glumly. "Do you need my location? I'm not sure where I am, but-."

_"I've got it, Twin Lakes, Washington."  
><em>

"No, that's Four-."

But the connection was lost, having given way to silence, as was his connection to the woman he loved. He blinked away tears, wondering if he'd ever get home. Daphne needed him. And he needed her. Now more than ever.


	7. Chapter 7

**By Kristen3**

Daphne sighed as she hung up the phone. How could she have accused Niles of having an affair? Once, a long time ago, she'd doubted his loyalty, and she swore she would never again question him. But now she had. Niles had loved her for so many years before she ever realized. Daphne knew he would never do anything to hurt her.

But then she turned and saw David sitting in his high chair. He looked at her, wide-eyed. "You miss Daddy, don't you?" she asked as she lifted him out. David wasn't quite talking yet, but his expression told her everything she needed to know. "I know. I miss him too." She softly kissed his forehead. "But he's going to do everything he can to come back to us." David rested his head on her shoulder, and his eyes began to close. "I know you want to stay up and wait for Daddy to come home, but I think it's better if you go to bed now. By the time you wake up, he'll be here, and I'm sure he's anxious to play with you."

As she carried her tired son upstairs, Daphne realized something about her conversation with her husband. He'd never asked about David. Even when he called from the office, he always made sure to ask about his son. For a split second, Daphne reconsidered the idea of him being with someone else. "No, Niles loves me," she whispered to herself. Even if she felt the slightest temptation to give in to these thoughts, she couldn't do it in front of David. Many times, Niles had talked about how easily a child could pick up on a parent's mood. While she changed David, she forced herself to focus on how much she loved this little boy. No matter how upset she might be over the many chores she needed to do, or an argument with her stubborn father-in-law, the sight of David's smile never failed to warm her heart. Before he was born, Daphne hadn't believed she could love anyone this much.

When David was safely in his crib, Daphne couldn't help watching him sleep. He breathed slowly and evenly. She almost envied him right now, sound asleep without a care in the world. She kissed David's cheek before finally leaving the room. She made sure to grab the baby monitor from the master bedroom and pick up the romance novel she'd been reading. Normally, she liked to read in bed, but with Niles not there, the room seemed lonely. So, tonight, she would read downstairs.

She reached the living room once again and prepared to lose herself in the world of fictional romance. But as she opened the book, she realized this was never going to work. Niles remained on her mind. As she mentally replayed the phone conversation yet again, she realized something. He had been sniffling. Most women would take that as a sign that perhaps he'd caught a cold. But Daphne knew Niles better than that. Any time he was even slightly dishonest, his conscience would cause his nose to bleed. What wasn't he telling her? Daphne wasn't sure, but her powers were definitely giving her the sense that wherever Niles was right now, he was having some sort of trouble. Her heart ached, wondering what could be happening.

Her imagination went wild. She pictured horrific car accidents, the type that seemed to make the news nearly every evening. What if he'd been so desperate to come home that he'd actually tried to drive in the horrible fog? She could hardly breathe just thinking about it. She looked at the clock, wondering if Martin and Ronee had gone to bed yet. She knew her father-in-law would likely make fun of her, since he'd never believed in her visions. But who better to know if her husband was in danger than a former Seattle police detective?

Realizing she was making herself a wreck, she knew she had no choice. Nervously she dialed Martin's number. If he was angry, so be it. Niles' safety was far more important.

The phone was answered after a couple of rings. _"Daph, don't you know what time it is? Ronee and I were just going to bed."_

Daphne took a deep breath, not wanting to get into an argument right now. "Yes, and I'm sorry to be calling so late. But Niles isn't home from that conference in Spokane. He his flight was canceled thanks to this bloody fog. He told me he got a hotel room, but I don't think he was telling the truth."

Now it was Martin's turn to sigh. _"Daph, Niles is a lot of things, but one thing he's not is a liar. If he said he's in a hotel room, then he is. I'm sure you're worrying over nothing."_

She should've known he'd react that way. "But he was sniffling. I think his nose was bleeding. Martin, what if he's had some kind of accident? I'm making meself sick sitting here worrying."

_"All right,"_ Martin answered realizing how upset she was. _"I know a couple of guys on Highway Patrol. I'll ask them if they've heard anything about accidents out near Spokane. But even if they have, it might not mean anything. Weather like this always leads to a ton of accidents. People don't know how the hell to drive. Mainly because they shouldn't be driving at all."_

Daphne could practically hear his eyes rolling as he spoke. Despite his gruff exterior, Daphne knew Martin cared about family more than anything. The eleven years he'd spent living with Frasier had changed all of them, brought them closer together. They might've had their ups and downs, but Daphne knew there was a bond between the three Crane men that could never be broken. As she hung up the phone, she silently prayed the family wasn't about to face a tragic loss.


	8. Chapter 8

_**By LeighAnn415**_

Niles slumped in his seat, content with the thought that he wouldn't get home to Daphne at all tonight. He looked at his phone, thinking of calling her again, or calling his father, but to his dismay, he had used up the remaining bars on the phone. "Just as well," he thought, as he decided to stay in the car he hated all night. Somebody was bound to come along when daylight started to shine. He'd just have to wait.

He thought about Daphne again. She was probably putting David down for the night. A twinge of guilt hit him then, for not even asking about David. No wonder she thought for even a moment that he was having an affair. He shook his head once, to get the thought out. Once he was home, and had Daphne in his arms, everything would be ok. He had to believe that.

Suddenly, his eyes started to get heavy, and just as he was about to close them, he saw a bright light heading towards him. No, it couldn't be possible. It must be just another passenger on this lonely stretch of highway. Or else, he was hallucinating.

But, as it came closer and closer, he noticed something. It wasn't his imagination! Help was on the way. He breathed a sigh of relief and sat up straighter. Maybe he would be home tonight after all. The thought made him giddy. He would never again be foolish enough to drive in such fog.

As the vehicle got closer, he saw that it was a truck from Highway Patrol. He was confused for a minute, since he never called Highway Patrol. But then the thought hit him. It must've been Daphne. Suddenly, he couldn't wait to see her.

He got out of the car as the Highway Patrol came to a stop. A big, muscular man got out and made his way towards Niles.

"What seems to be the problem?" he asked.

"Y-yes. This sorry excuse for a car rental has failed me. I'm stranded."

The man seemed in a hurry to get going. But he said, "I stopped to have it impounded. Good thing that you stayed with your vehicle. I can line my front bumper up with yours to push you to the next service station. My vehicle has towing pads on the front."

"That would be wonderful."

"Do your headlights work? You'll need those in working order for me to push you along. Also, I'll need to see your license, car rental agreement, and proof of insurance."

He retrieved the paperwork from the Focus and turned on his headlights in the process.

"Ok. Your headlights work fine." He used his flashlight to check Niles' paperwork. "How long have you been out here?"

"Uh, well, I'm not sure exactly." He checked his watch. "A little over an hour, perhaps."

"You drove from Spokane?"

"Why, yes." Then Niles realized he got the information from his paperwork.

"Where you headed?"

"Seattle."

"The garage is closed for the night. After a good night's rest, you can see about getting it fixed."

Niles wasn't sure if he wanted to drive another mile in this wretched car. He needed other transportation if he'd make it home to Daphne tonight. "Is there another car rental place in town?"

"Not open until late morning."

Niles didn't need a garage and he didn't need a hotel. He just needed a phone or place to charge his phone. He plan was to call the rental company and inform them on where they could pick up their car. He wasn't going to rest until he found other means to get back to Seattle to the two most beautiful people he loved in all the world.


	9. Chapter 9

**By Pat2Trivia4Me**

The highway patrol truck pulled up to The Saddle Inn Tavern in downtown Four Lakes, Washington with Niles riding in the back seat. He was completely and utterly appalled that the policeman made him ride in the back. It didn't matter that riding up in the front seat as a passenger was against his precinct's policy, Niles still felt like a detained fugitive as they pulled up to the establishment. Even in front of the types of locals who would stay or dine at an establishment called "The Saddle Inn". Niles could feel all the eyes upon him from the locals as the officer stepped out of his truck and opened the back door to let him out.

Niles shook his hand. "Thank you so much officer. I really appreciate your hospitality."

"Hospitality?" The man tipped his hat back. "Hell boy, you're not from anywhere around here, are you?"

"No sir." He shook the officer's hand.

The patrolman retrieved Niles' travel bag and briefcase from the back of the truck. "Would you like me to give you a hand with your bags?"

"No, thank you. I can manage from here." Niles surely didn't need to be escorted inside by the law. They had gathered enough attention already.

"Alright. Well, good luck to you. You have that card that I gave you with the garage's phone number on it?"

"Yes-sir, thank you."

With that, the officer tipped his hat to him and climbed into his patrol truck and drove off. Niles gathered his things and headed for the front door of "The Saddle". Such a fitting name, he thought. Then he felt a little light. Then it washed all over him like a bucket of cold water. The roses that he had bought Daphne… he had left them in the rental. Oh well, he would have to go back to retrieve them. He and that bouquet of flowers had been through a lot together and he wasn't giving up on them. Why, they had traveled an entire twelve miles together.

He felt the people standing outside staring at him as he made his way through the front door. He went up to the front counter.

"You checkin' in?" the lady behind the counter asked.

"Actually, no. I've had some car trouble, but by the reading of my watch and the sounds of my stomach, somewhere to dine would be wonderful. May I appeal to your kindness and ask to have you hold my bags while I dine?"

"No problem sir. You're going to like it here. We offer FREE popcorn every day and we've an infamous for our BBW beer sammich."

"An 'infamous sammich'?" Niles asked almost busting into laughter. "Wonderful. Oh, and do you perhaps know of a location where I might be able to recharge my phone?"

"I can do that for you here."

"Fantastic." He went into his luggage and retrieved his cell phone charger cord and gave it to her as well as his cell phone. "Thank you…" He read her name tag. "Robin."

She directed him over to the tavern part. He was handed a menu that actually read:

Infamous BBQ Beef Sammich

12" Pizzas

Hot Wings

German Sausage Dawgs

Hamburger Sliders

Hotdog Sliders

FREE Popcorn Everyday!

He actually started laughing to himself. Didn't someone own a dictionary in the area? They didn't know the definition of 'infamous'. Perhaps he should order a German Sausage 'Dawg'.

When the waitress returned to take his order, he asked, "May I order off of the menu? I would like a steak… prime cut, if you have it, and a hot tea with a freshly cut wedge of lemon. Now, when preparing the steak…"

"Just what's on the menu fella."

He glanced over the menu again and looked her back in the eyes. "I don't do pizza."

"So what'll you have then?"

He studied the menu as if there was something new to read. "I prefer not to eat something called a 'Sammich'. I'll have the BBQ Beef without the 'Sammich' and could I get a fork with that?"

"That comes with potato chips, coleslaw, or potato salad."

He thought long and hard. He may need an array of red wines to wash this down, but he needed a clear head if he was going to return to his trek to Daphne. "I'll chance the coleslaw."

"And to drink?"

"You don't have hot tea?"

"We have alcohol, Coke, coffee and water. I can check on the tea, but if we do have tea, my money's on tea bags that have been sitting in the back of the cupboard for at least a year."

"Any chance that the water is bottled?"

The lady just stared at him.

"I'll have the coffee. A double-cappuccino…"

She walked away before he could finish.

He sat there thinking of his next several moves would be to get Daphne's flowers back and to get down the road. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the car rental keys. He chose not to put them in the garage key night drop box, but to hold onto them. This way he could call the rental company and tell them where to pick up their car. Of course, they would ask him to mail the key to them, but at least he had it to be able to open the car in order to retrieve Daphne's flowers. He placed them safely back into his pocket and then retrieved his wallet. He opened it and pulled out a photo of the three of them together. Daphne was holding David and he was holding Daphne. He started to choke up. He had been through so much today and it would be so great to see them again. He couldn't wait to call them once his phone had recharged.

"That's a beautiful gal," an alcohol soaked voice trailed over his right shoulder, startling him.

Niles jumped. "Oh… thank you." He glanced over to see an older man, with scruff across his jaw, standing much too close to him.

"You're a jumpy little fella, aren'tcha?"

"Yes, quite… under these circumstances."

"Beautiful family. Did they leave ya 'cuz of your drinkin' problem?" He stared at Niles with bloodshot eyes.

"No, they're at home waiting for me."

"Oh my God. You shouldn't be here drinkin' if they're waitin' for ya tat home."

"No… not at all." 'Person, go away', Niles thought. Perhaps if he indulged him slightly, he would leave Niles in order to find the closest glass of scotch. "My car broke down and I'm trying to get back to them."

"Maybe I can help. Where you headed?"

"Seattle." How in the world could you help? There's no way you can drive in your condition. By the looks of things, the most you could offer is to give up some of your blood to use as fuel.

"Oh my God, that's far away." The man emphasized it as if it were on the other side of the world.

"Yes, quite." Niles leaned away from him to keep the fumes of his breath from burning his eyes.

"I'm Carl, by-the-by-the-by." He laughed.

"Niles," he shook his hand hoping that was it and that the man would return to the rock he crawled out from. "Niles Crane."

"That's a nice suit. What, do ya got money or what?"

"No, not really." He checked his watch. How much longer could this man possibly carry this conversation?

The waitress brought Niles' order. "Carl, please leave this poor man alone. Let him enjoy his meal in peace."

Niles smiled. Not only did he appreciate her fending for him, but he thought that it was funny how she thought that he could possibly "enjoy" this meal.

Carl retreated to his side of the room, while Niles tried to down some of his meal. He picked over it mostly. The coffee was presented just the way his father liked it… black. Sure, there was luke-warm cream offered with it, put it was just untouchable as the meal. He was hungry, but not that hungry. He moved the food around on his plate to make it look like he had made a better attempt at eating it. How dare they put the coleslaw next to the meat to let the juices drain over to each other.

When the waitress returned, Niles asked for the check and if she would be so kind as to call a taxi cab for him. He needed to get back to the garage for those flowers.

"I can make the call, but Sanders is plenty busy. He won't show for an hour or so."

"An hour?!" Niles was running so late already. He couldn't wait that long.

Carl perked up. "My daughter's on her way to pick me up. Do ya need a right?"

"No, that won't be necessary." He regretted saying that right when the words left his lips. His options were very few and the possibilities of getting home before midnight were looking mighty grim. He paid his check and went up to the front desk. He read the lady's name tag at the front counter. "Excuse me Amanda. Where did Robin go?"

"Her shift ended. How can I help you?"

"She was holding my luggage and charging my phone for me."

She looked behind the counter. "Oh yes, here it is." She handed him his briefcase.

"Is there another bag? My luggage bag?"

She looked. "No, I'm sorry."

Niles was getting more irritated. "Please look again. Where is Robin?"

"I don't see anything here."

"Can you call her? Can I speak to your manager?"

"Robin is my manager." Amanda picked up the phone and tried to reach Robin at home. She hung up. "I'm sorry sir, but she's not answering. Maybe she's not home yet."

"This is unacceptable," he started to raise his voice. "I left my luggage with her while I ate."

"I will keep trying to reach her."

"Well, I can't wait much longer."

"Do you have a cell phone, that I can call you once I reach her?"

"She was charging my phone," Niles snapped.

Amanda looked around. "I don't see it." She started looking through the drawers behind the counter. "Is this it?"

"Yes, that's it."

"It was placed in lost in found."

"Wonderful," his voice reeked with sarcasm. "Where is my power cord?"

She shrugged her shoulders.


	10. Chapter 10

**By Pat2Trivia4Me**

Niles stepped out into the cold and felt the chill of the night air outside of The Saddle Inn Tavern. He just couldn't believe his luck. He had left his number with the lady at the counter, but he was so angry with them losing his luggage and cell phone power cord. He flipped open his phone. He barely had any power.

His breath hit the air and hung in the air like the surrounding fog. The chilly air stung his eyes and lungs. At the very least, he may be able to reach Daphne. He called.

"Hello?"

"Daphne, oh my God. It's so good to hear your voice. I love you so very much."

"Hello? Is anybody there?"

"Oh no." He couldn't believe his luck. "Daphne, can you hear me?"

His phone beeped and then went dead. Oh, he felt so much like throwing it across the parking lot, but he didn't want to litter. Perhaps he could give it back to Amanda and it might somehow be reunited with its power cord.

He snapped his cell phone closed. He took the battery out and rubbed it against his suit sleeve in a last ditch effort for a static charge to be enough to make just one call. Yet, when he replaced the battery, there wasn't.

He tucked his phone back into his jacket. It was a never ending evening and it just kept getting darker and darker.

"Hi, my name's Danni," an extremely attractive blonde made her way across the parking lot toward him.

"Hi, I'm happily married." He shook his head. "I'm sorry. My name is Niles."

"My father over there…" She gestured to Carl who was at the tavern's entrance trying to keep from leaning in his drunken state. "…said that you may be in need of a ride."

"Oh… well, I would hate to put you out."

"Well, where are you headed? Maybe we're headed in that direction."

"I'm heading for Seattle, but I need to get to the garage where I left my car. It's not far from here."

She smiled broadly and looked back at her father. "I'll be happy to drive you."

"Oh, that would be so appreciated," he said with a sigh of relief.

"I'm parked over here."

"Thank you." He picked up his briefcase and walked with her to her father, then the three of them went to her car.

They drove straight to CC's Garage. Carl sat up from the back seat. "What're we doing here?"

"We're taking your friend to his car," Danni said.

"Nicholas, your car is here?"

"His name is Niles, Dad."

"Niles, your car is here?"

"Yes, unfortunately." It was a small, one-car bay garage.

"Well, I don't want to work on it now," Carl slurred.

Niles shot Carl a look. "You work here?"

"Owner and operator," Danni said.

It's a good thing Niles decided to search for other means of transportation. For Carl to work on his car, probably meant that he would be opening the store a little late, considering his current condition. "Well, if you don't mind, I'll be contacting the car rental to come pick it up here, if it's alright to leave it here for them."

"Hell, that's no problem," Carl said. "You call 'em yet?"

"Unfortunately, my cell phone battery is dead."

He pulled the garage keys from his pocket and handed them to his daughter. "Danni, take him inside and let him use the phone to call that stupid car rental company."

"Sure Pop."

Niles grinned. "Thank you."

He kept the call short. He didn't want to soak up any more time in meaningless arguments. "How soon can you get a rental replacement out to me."

"Sir, that's not going to be easy, we just don't have any drivers available and all of our remaining cars have been booked."

"I will mail you the keys." Although Niles hated to end calls without the proper closure, he felt that this time, the position the car rental put him in, qualified for a sound disconnecting.

"I could drive you back to Spokane, if that would help," Danni offered. She could tell that Niles was a safe bet by his mannerisms and the way he dressed.

"Please, I've had quite enough of Spokane for a while and the thought of having to back track leave a worst taste in my mouth than that BBQ I ate at the tavern."

"Well, I have to be in Kennewick in the morning. I could leave now and stay with my cousin for the night down there."

"I've heard of Kennewick, but I wouldn't want to put you out."

"Well, I hate to leave a gentleman stranded. I could take you to Kennewick if you want to catch the Am Track. I know it's a bit more south than you care to go. Or I could drop you off at Ritzville on the way. It's still on Interstate 90 and you would be 50 miles closer to Seattle."

"Oh, that would be wonderful. I accept your offer on one condition."

"What's that?" she asked.

"That you allow me to pay for gas."

"You're on, but I have a condition too."

"What's that?"

"As long as you don't mind having to stop along the way if my father needs to throw up." She laughed and when Niles realized she was kidding, he laughed too.

Outside, Niles opened the Ford Focus for the very last time. There, in the back seat, lay the bouquet of flowers. Oh Daphne, he thought. They were starting to look like he felt: like he had been through a hundred miles of bad road. He cradled them in his arms. Poor things. He knew somewhere along the way, he was going to have to find them some water.

"She's a very lucky woman," Danni said.

"Thank you."

Wait a minute? Was she referring to the flowers or being married to him? Was Danni flirting with him? Overall, he decided it didn't really matter. He would never flirt back. The bond between Daphne and Niles was more safe than a new born in its mother's arms. He would spend his dying breath proving it, if he had to.

Niles leaned against the locked passenger door as Danni drove and Carl slept it off in the back seat. "Would you mind if I slept a little?" he asked.

"Not at all," Danni smiled his way.

"If you're feeling tired, I'll be happy to engage you in conversation."

"I'm fine Niles. Why don't you rest?"

When he leaned against the door, he was out instantly. He had been through a lot and it showed. He woke up for a moment when they were passing an exit. Niles could make it out through the light fog. It was a town called Fishtrap. Niles smiled as he leaned against the door again. "Fishtrap", that was one town he wouldn't have to become familiar with.


End file.
